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Mooney, Joyce give Ireland the advantage

Ireland ends second day on 159/2, leading by 164 runs after bowling out Afghanistan for 182

Ed Joyce played a patient innings and remained unbeaten on 123-ball 74.

John Mooney and Ed Joyce combined to give Ireland the advantage over Afghanistan on the second day of the Intercontinental Cup final in Dubai on Wednesday (December 11). Mooney picked up 5 for 45 to help bowl Afghanistan out for 182, and Joyce was unbeaten on 74 as Ireland ended a good day on159 for 2, with an overall lead of 164 runs.

Mooney, the right-arm medium-pacer, brought Ireland back into the game after it had been bowled out for 187 in the first innings, and Joyce, the left-hand No.3 batsman, then reinforced Ireland’s gains to put his side in a good position.

The day began with Rahmat Shah and Asghar Stanikzai resuming with Afghanistan on 81 for 3 overnight, Mooney having taken all three wickets. Shah and Stanikzai had stretched their stand to a solid 57 runs before Mooney struck again, to have Shah caught at second slip for 20, with the score 116 for 4.

George Dockrell, the left-arm spinner, then got into the act. He had Stanikzai caught of a minuscule edge by Niall O'Brien, the wicketkeeper, for 41, while Mooney picked up his fifth wicket when he had Samiullah Shenwari caught at second slip leaving Afghanistan struggling at 133 for 6.

Mohammad Nabi, the Afghanistan captain, and Mirwais Ashraf, ensured Afghanistan didn’t collapse with a 42-run stand, taking their side close to Ireland’s total. Trent Johnston ended the partnership when he got Ashraf to nick one to Niall O’Brien, while Dockerell picked up the last two wickets quickly as Afghanistan finished five runs short of Ireland’s first-innings score. Dockrell finished with three wickets, while Johnston had two.

In Ireland’s second innings, Dawlat Zadran, who had taken 4 for 44 in the first innings, struck early to dismiss Paul Stirling in the third over. However, there was no repeat of Ireland’s first-innings collapse, with both William Porterfield and Joyce taking on the bowlers in a quick 38-run stand that came off just 42 balls.

Porterfield, the Ireland captain, then swept a leg-stump ball off Nabi straight to Shah for a 30-ball 34 to leave Ireland 53 for 2. But Afghanistan had little to cheer after that as Joyce and Niall O’Brien (40*) got together for an unbroken 106-run stand.

With three days remaining and a handy lead, Ireland is well placed to set a challenging total, while Afghanistan will look to its bowlers to make early inroads on the third day.